Is There a Security Camera That Works Without Wi-Fi?

• Wi-Fi plays a big role in video monitoring, but there are security cameras that don’t need Wi-Fi.
• Local storage is the key; store videos into a microSD card or local recorder and play them back on your computer.
• Want live video streaming without Wi-Fi? Arlo Go is the solution. Read our Arlo review for more.

Wi-Fi and the internet play a pivotal role in home security systems and cameras. They’re how we’re able to receive alerts on our phones, view our cameras in real-time, and store recordings in the cloud. But even if your home doesn’t have Wi-Fi, you can still get reliable security cameras. There are options, and yes, there’s going to be some compromises. So in this guide, let’s see exactly what Wi-Fi-less security cameras can do. We’ll leave you to decide whether or not they can take care of your security needs.

Cellular Signal-Ready Security Cameras

The first type are security cameras that connect to the internet using 4G/LTE or 5G cellular signals – the same signals your phone uses to access the internet via mobile data. Because of that, they can function pretty much like Wi-Fi cameras. They can record to the cloud, livestream, and generate alerts on your phone.

They’re not perfect though. Cameras that use cellular signals are rare. We’ve only ever tested two of them – the Arlo Go and Reolink Go. You don’t have a lot of other options, especially if you’re looking for affordable security cameras. Both cameras cost over $200 for just the hardware, and as we’ll explain more below, you’ll also need a cloud subscription and data plan to use these cameras. For reference, security cameras typically cost $100 to $200, but a lot of sub-$100 options have been popping up as of late.

Still, let’s take a closer look at Arlo Go and Reolink Go.

• Arlo Go: Arlo was first-to-market with a cellular-ready security camera. Most of the Arlo cameras we test connect to Wi-Fi, but their Arlo Go lineup is fully-cellular. To use it, you’ll need to buy the camera itself and a compatible SIM card with a cellular plan. Arlo partnered with third-party mobile providers for the plan. Feature-wise, it can record to the cloud. It can also send notifications, livestream videos, and connect to the Arlo app for convenient monitoring.
• Reolink Go: After reviewing Wi-Fi cameras like the Reolink Argus 2, we tested out the Reolink Go, which also requires either a 3G or 4G LTE plan, a micro-SIM card, and a cellular data plan. Footage recorded directly onto a 64 GB micro-SD card, and cloud storage was an option as well. The Reolink Go is wireless and works with Reolink’s mobile application, so you can get notifications from motion detection along with live views.

Now, about those extra costs, they are the cloud video storage and data plan fees. With the Arlo Go 2, we had to pay T-Mobile $2 per month for a 1 GB data plan and Arlo $7.99 per month for cloud storage. That’s $10 per month total for one camera.

The good news is you get to save on the cloud plan if you’re buying two or more cameras. Arlo offers a cloud storage plan for unlimited cameras for $12.99 per month, so you don’t have to pay $7.99 per camera if you have multiple. Unfortunately, that doesn’t apply to the data plan. That one is on a per-device basis.

Another thing to consider is the data usage limit. Carriers that offer data plans for the Arlo Go 2 typically provide 1 GB of data per month. The camera records and streams in 1080p. With a 1 GB data plan, you’ll be able to stream for only about two hours straight. Not to mention, if you buy a cloud subscription, the same data plan will be used to send recordings to the cloud.

You can buy additional data to ensure all recordings will be uploaded, but that further increases your usage cost. If you value video recording but want a more practical option, the second type of Wi-Fi-less cameras might be more suited for you.

With limited data, your options are to buy more data (whichincreases the usage cost) or limit your live streaming. If you can live with quick check-ins, which is doable, a security camera with a data plan will work for you. Just make sure you set smart detection features (e.g. person detection, pet detection) to limit false alarms and cut the data usage for cloud recording. Fortunately, Arlo Go 2 and Reolink Go both offer those.

Security Cameras With Local Video Storage

On the other hand, if you value constant recording, the second type of Wi-Fi less cameras will work better for you. These cameras can record 24/7 with ease, but there are a couple of catches.

First, since they don’t connect to the internet at all, you won’t be able to stream live video and receive motion alerts. The latter can be replaced with a cellular security system to send alerts without Wi-Fi or landline, but the lack of live video streaming can be a drawback for some.

Second, videos will be stored on-site. That means you won’t be able to access the videos remotely. You’d have to access the storage medium to playback recordings. That also means if something happens to the storage device (e.g. tampering, damaged, corrupted), you could lose footage.

If you can live with those drawbacks, these are the different types of cameras with local video storage.

• CCTV: CCTV cameras, or closed-circuit television cameras, are used by businesses and police for surveillance; they’re not usually used for home security purposes. Instead of watching the footage on an app, guards watch CCTV footage on several monitors, and storage is on either a DVR or an NVR, a network video recorder for digital systems. CCTV cameras include analog and IP cameras, along with HD-over-coax.2
• Analog: Analog cameras transmit video from the camera to a DVR, often via coaxial cable.
• HD-over-coax: In HD-over-coax cameras, uncompressed video travels from cameras to recorders via coaxial cable. The video is high-resolution, but very few cameras work with coaxial cables.
• IP: An IP camera is usually synonymous with a surveillance camera, as it’s a lot more expensive than regular home security cameras.3

Lorex has one of the largest lineups of security camera systems with local storage. Its DVR systems typically offer 1 TB of storage space, shared among up to 16 security cameras. In our experience, that much space is enough for 20 days of 1080p videos from one camera. If you have two cameras, each will have about 10 days; if you have four, about five days.

What we like about Lorex – which we also mentioned in our Lorex review – is that you can typically expand the storage space. Our Lorex DVR had three expansion slots for hard disk drives, each able to accommodate a hard drive up to 1 TB. That’s 4 TB total, which can store a month of videos from a couple of cameras.

There’s another downside though, which is the cost. Besides the cost of cameras, you’ll need to buy the storage device as well. MicroSD cards are the cheapest, but they are also the most susceptible to tampering and getting corrupted. Plus since they go in your cameras, they are prone to theft. We recommend a DVR or NVR, but such a device with 1 TB of space costs at least $100. Each 1 TB expansion drive ranges from $50 to $100 too.

Are Security Cameras Without Wi-Fi Harder To Install?

Although many home security companies might have you thinking otherwise, security cameras that don’t require internet through Wi-Fi aren’t necessarily harder to install than Wi-Fi cameras. As some cameras that don’t need internet are wireless, like the Reolink Go and the Arlo Go, installation can be quite easy. It’s an added bonus that they’re battery-powered, so you can place them literally anywhere, whether there’s a power outlet nearby or not.

As for cameras that record locally to a DVR, you might have to do some wiring. They usually plug into a wall outlet, and to send data to the DVR, they use either an Ethernet cable or a coaxial cable. That might make installation a tad more complex, but in our experience, it’s still very much doable. It took us half a day to install a six-camera Lorex system and a DVR.

On that note, look for PoE (Power-over-Ethernet) cameras if you want to minimize the amount of wires running around your house. PoE cameras use the same Ethernet wire for power and to transmit video and audio to a DVR. That’s one less wire for you to take care of.

Wi-Fi vs. No-Wi-Fi Cameras

So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of using cameras that do and don’t work with Wi-Fi? We’ve broken it down below.

Wi-Fi Cameras Pros and Cons

No-Wi-Fi Cameras Pros and Cons

Recap

While most smart security cameras on the market these days require Wi-Fi, it’s not needed for you to get all the advantages of IoT security cameras. A few good options don’t need Wi-Fi and can use data plans. But if you don’t want livestreaming, remote control, or notifications, that makes not using Wi-Fi even easier. Rather, you’ll have a local camera security system only that will record onto local storage, probably a hard drive or micro-SD card.

Whatever your comfort level with technology — be it Wi-Fi, cellular security cameras, or huge hard drives — there’s a security camera that will work for you. However, we recommend cameras that are connected to the internet in some way, whether it’s through Wi-Fi or cellular data, so you can see what’s happening at home from anywhere with internet access.